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Friday 6 January 2006

AM is Australia's most informative morning current affairs. It covers the stories each morning that the other current affairs teams follow for the rest of the day. Below is the program summary with links to transcripts and audio (if available).

Sharon in a coma after suffering severe stroke

The Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, is in a deep coma with possible brain damage after undergoing two marathon operations to stop a massive haemorrhage. Doctors say the 77-year-old leader is in a critical but stable condition after a severe stroke. Even if Mr Sharon survives, his colleagues say it's highly unlikely he'll be able to return to public office.

Sharon's illness leaves Israel in political turmoil

Gabi Bron was for 35 years the parliamentary correspondent for Israel's biggest-selling newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth. Our Middle East Correspondent asked him about the impact of Ariel Sharon's illness on Israeli politics.

World leaders keep close eye on Israel

Bush probes former diplomats for advice on Iraq

In the United States, senior Bush administration officials are reluctant to speculate about what effect Ariel Sharon's stroke will have on the Middle East peace process. Meanwhile, President George W. Bush is concerned about events in Iraq. He's assembled former secretaries of Defence and State from both Republican and Democrat Administrations to solicit their advice.

Seven and Ten win 5-year AFL broadcasting deal

The $780 million paid yesterday by the Seven and Ten networks won them the right to broadcast the Australian Football League for the next five years. Now fans are wondering what it will mean for them. Tom Iggulden reports there are also concerns about whether the deal for the 2007-2011 seasons will be economically viable for Seven and Ten.

Greenpeace ship tails Japanese whaling fleet

After a lull in the confrontation, the high seas cat and mouse games have resumed between Japanese whalers and the environmentalists from Greenpeace. For 11 days the Japanese fleet went without killing one whale, but Greenpeace says that in the past 24 hours 13 minke whales have been slaughtered. The Japanese fleet is hoping to catch more than 900 minke whales and 10 endangered fin whales during their whaling season.

North Korea demands end to US sanctions

There seems little hope that the New Year will bring any progress in dealing with North Korea's nuclear ambitions. The rogue Stalinist state, ruled by Kim Jong Il, is accusing the United States of trying to isolate it with new sanctions targeting counterfeiting and money laundering.

English hunters develop a taste for wild boar

As New South Wales prepares to allow specially licensed hunters into the state's forests to kill feral pigs, English hunters are gearing up to go after wild boar as well. More than three centuries after the English hunted them to extinction, the animals are making a comeback after animal rights activists freed a number of them years ago when they were being reared for their meat.

Drunkeness causes problems during Russian holiday break

For the most part public holidays are a treasured and permanent item on the Australian calendar, but in Russia they're the cause of intense debate and heartache. Russians are about to start a ten-day break to celebrate the New Year and the Orthodox Christmas on January the 7th. For a lot of Russians the long break in the middle of a bitterly cold winter means getting drunk and causing trouble.